Tuesday, May 17, 2016

First Hospital Stay for Dupilumab

For this study there are certain times I have to withhold from certain foods as well as drugs, alcohol and tobacco. The foods are odd, no caffeine, no char-broiled meats, nothing from the mustard family, no chocolate and no fruit juices. I stay at their facilities for 3 days and take a cocktail drug that they will measure every hour or so by taking blood. This is the same drug that they had to see if I metabolized them well. One other gentleman who was also trying to get into the study couldn't metabolize the Warafarin so he couldn't do the study. Poor guy. A list of the drugs are:
Midazolam 2mg
Omeprazole 20mg
Warfarin 10mg
Caffeine 100 mg
Metoprolol Tartrate 100mg
(Sorry no photo of dupilumab, they always had it in a sealed box)

A representative came down from Regeneron to see the medication administered and I also received my first injection of Dupilumab. The injection was painful, very painful. I personally wouldn't describe as burning. It feels like something is being injected into my muscle and then it's spread down deeper. I literally grimaced and said "Ouch Ouch Owie Owie Owie" as they were giving it. But I'd do anything for a cure and compared to the pain I've been through this was nothing.

They had my meals catered and I spent most of my time watching anime. They would come in every few hours to pull blood to measure the cocktail. Here are a few pics, nothing special but yeah.




Sunday, May 15, 2016

Keeping a Secret-Warning Graphic Photos

So I've been having a few styes pop up on my eyes, which makes me nervous that I could have MRSA again. I also had a really bad boil on my head a few weeks ago. Nothing s serious since then but I don't want to tell the Dupilumab study for fear that I'll be kicked out.

The styes only happen when I cry and rub my eyes and stuff, so I've been trying to stay on top of that and I've upped my bleach bath to a couple nights a week, also using gentamiacin in my nose again.


This first photo was taken on May 3 after it popped. It feels MUCH better.
 These next photos were taken on the 15th before work, after I popped one on my eye and after the swelling went down. I had to put a hair band on my head to hold my eye lid up.


They're doing better just need to wait for them to completely heal and go away. PS I'm still losing my hair.